Automobile-lock



W. S EILER.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-27,1919.

1,332,765. Patented Mar. 2,1920.

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snares PATENT WILLIAM SEILEB, OE KGKOMO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES HAMMOND, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA.

AUTOMOBILE-LOCK.

Application filed September 27, 1919.

To all 'UIZG/IL it may concern:

Be citizen of the United States, residing at Kokomo, couhty of Howard, and State of Indiana. have lIlVCIltOd certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Locks, of which the followin is a specification.

This invention relates to automobile locks, and is an improvement over the form of device shown in my former application filed August 1919, Ser. No. 319,521, and the prime feature of the invention is the pro- .vision of means for cutting off the supply of fuel before it reaches the engine cylinders and thereby rendering it impossible to opcrate the engine, this construction including a locking mechanism, preferably of the com bination type. for opening the cut off valve and automatic means for closing the cut .off valve. when the locking mechanism is operated to release the valve.

A further feature of the invention resides in so positioning the valve and locking mechanism that it will be impossible to gain access to the same without destroying the asing surrounding the same, thereby completely destroying the fuel line leading to the engine and preferably said casing is attached to the casing of the engine and integral therewith or so secured thereto that it can not be removed without breaking off the casing or removing the engine from its base A, further feature of the invention is the positioning of the casing for the valve, so that it will intersect the intake manifold at a point between the carbureter and the intake openings in the cylinders of the engine.

Other objects and advantages will be her inafter more fully set forth and pointed out in the accompanying specification.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an engins showing the locking mechanism attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the locking mechanism.

Fig. i is a detail sectional view showing the casing for the locking mechanism made separate from and attached to the engine casing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, race.

Serial No. 326,853.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of that. form it known that 1, WILLIAM Serum, a of device shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 1 indicates an engine of the internal combustion type, :2 indicates the intake manifold therefor and 3 indicates a carbureter, all

of the parts being of the usual or any preferred type. i

To guard against the car being stolen or operated by any other than the owner or proper driver. a valve and locking mechanism is provided for cutting oti' the supply of fuel, and the valve mechanism is prefer ably mounted in a housing -1 projecting outwardly from the engine casing and in such position as to intersect the intake manifold at a point between the carburetor and the intake openings in the cylinders of the engine.

The housing 4 is preferably cast integral with the engine casing so that it will be impossible to remove the housing without breaking it off from the casing, but, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the housing may be made separate from the engine casing and is secured thereto by providing a slot 5 in the casing, through which the housing is introduced, the inner end of the housinghaving ears 6 thereon, through which are introduced bolts 7. and by placing said cars and bolts inside the engine casing, it will be impossible to gain access to the bolts for removing the same without first removing the engine from its base.

l/Vithin the housing t is a ball valve 8, which is mounted in a socket 9, the valve being held in the socket by means of a 10, which is threaded into the open end of the socket after the ball valve has been entered therein, thus limiting the movement of said valve. The valve 8 is automatically seated by means of a spring 11. positioned between the closed end of the socket and the valve, and the valve is opened by *a locking mechanism, which is also mounted in an opening in the housing t, said opening 12 extending to one end of the housing.

This locking mechanism may be of any preferred construction, but is preferably of the combination type comprising a plurality of tumblers 13, the innermost one having a stem l t thereon which is forced. against a diaphragm 15, when the tumblers are set at a particular combination and will remove the pressure against the diaphragm when the combination scattered. The inner face of the diaphragm engages that portion of the ball valve 8 projecting through the seat 10 and when inward pressure is directed against the diaphrz'igin, the valve 8 will be moved away from its seat and the fuel permitted to flow through the housing from the carburcter to the intake manifold, but as soon as the pressure is removed from the diaphragm, the spring 11 will auton'iatically close the valve and stop the flow of the fuel to the engine and positively render the engine inoperative.

The fuel passes from the neck 16 of the carburetor into a duct 17, which is arranged in a circuitous path around the closed end of the socket 9 and terminates in a discharge port 18 at a point above and adjacent the forward end of the socket so that it will be impossible to enter any instrument or object through the duct 17 and between the valve and its seat to hold the valve open. The peripheral edge of the diaphragm rests upon a shoulder 19 formed on the interior of the opening 12 and any suitable means may be employed for securely clamping the diaphragm against the shoulder so as to prevent leak: go of the fuel at this point, but in the present instance, a collar 20 is threaded into the opening 12 and is permanently secured therein by spot welding or other suitable manner.

The tumblers 13 are likewise so secured in the opening 12 that they can not. be removed at will in order to gain access to the valve. For convenience of operating the lock mechanism, a shaft 21 is extended from the lock mechanism to the most convenient part of the vehicle, preferably the dash, a usual form of dial (not shown) being connected therewith.

vVVit-h this form of construction it will be impossible to open the valve in any manner except by the proper manipulation of the combination lock, and likewise, it will be ha possible to remove the valve and locking mechanism from the line of passage of the fuel, unless the housing carrying said parts is broken ofi from the casing of the engine, and this action so mutilates the fuel passage as to render the same useless and beyond repair, and even through a. temporary passage were installed for the fuel, the mutilation of the parts would show conclusively that the car had been taken without authority.

The invention claimed is:

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine, an intake manifold attached thereto, and a carbureter, of ahousing attached to parts of the engine and intersect ing the fuel passage at a point between the carbureter and the point of entrance of the fuel into the engine cylinders, a. valve in said housing for cutting off the passage of fuel from the carbureter to the engine, and a combination lock mechanism for controlling the action of said valve.

2. The combination with an internal combustion engine, an intake manifold attached thereto, and a carburetor, of a housing attached to the engine casing and intersecting the fuel passage through said intake manifold between the carbureter and the engine, a valve for cutting off the passage of fuel through the manifold, means for automatically closing said valve, and a lock mechanism for opening said valve for restoring the fuel passage through the manifold.

3. The combination'with an engine, an intake manifold attached thereto, and a carburetor, of a housing integral with the en gine casing and projecting between the intake manifold and the carbureter, means for conveying fuel in a circuitous path through I the housing from the carbureter to the manifold, a valve in said housing, and a lock mechanism for opening and holding said "a-lve in open position when desired.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature.

WILLIAM SEILER. 

